Behind the Silk Screen
by HolleringHawk65
Summary: There has to have been more to Piers then Alpha Team, Chris Redfield, and his undying loyalty to the BSSA, and it just might include an Asian-American tomboy, a mission gone wrong, and some luck. (please r&r, this is my first crossover! :)
1. Chapter 1

Opening Author's Note: I had this idea and it won't let me go but it's only really short (comparatively) so I figured 'What the hell?' Honestly, this probably could've been done with any character from anything, but I thought Mulan would be a good fit because she's all about honor and not backing down without a fight.

There were also no other RE/Disney (owned) crossovers that I had seen.

Which reminds me: I own nothing!

This is set before RE 6, when Piers wasn't in Alpha Team but the (fictitious) Zulu team. I hope you enjoy this! :)

* * *

**_Narrator _**

Piers Nivans and Mulan Hua have been best friends for as long as anyone could remember.

They'd first bonded back in first grade when he was the lanky, Pokémon playing, raised-by-a-single-parent, seven year old and she was the Asian-American tomboy who lived in China Town.

After their teacher introduced the two, they were always hanging out, they had their inside jokes; they were the perfect pair.

Piers was there for her, he'd been her stationary rock, when her sister, Ana, was declared dead after no one could find the body for over a month after she'd left without a trace. Mulan was there for him when his dog died.

They joined the North American BSAA branch together fresh out of high school. It was a logical decision; they could always do college later, but _right now_ there was a chance to be a part of the change in the world; they wanted to be _heroes_.

Piers was marksman of the newly formed 'scouting' Zulu team, and Mulan was their medic. Piers later became the captain of their now five person team when their old captain had to step down due to personal issues.

* * *

**_Piers _**

"Hey, Mulan-" she dropped my shirt onto my head before I could finish asking for it. She looked over the edge of the top bunk, smiling down at me. "Thanks," I said to her.

"Anytime, Piers," she said, returning to whatever she'd been doing.

I heard the zipping of her duffel bag as I tugged my shirt on; she'd probably just re-folded all of her clothes. Our barracks were so small that we didn't get drawers or desks, so all of our stuff was either in a duffel bag and/or bins with our names on them. Mulan and I shared a bin because we both didn't have a lot of 'personal effects.'

My best friend came down from her bunk and sighed. "We're leaving again tomorrow, right?" She asked me.

"Yep; Alpha team wants us to scout out some plantation." I answered her.

"What do they think we'll find? Mutated cows?" She sarcastically (I hope) asked me. "If this Chris Redfield is such a hotshot, then he should do his own scouting!"

"Mulan_, relax_," I told her, walking behind her and rubbing her shoulders. Her muscles were stiff as I massaged them with my thumbs. She didn't say anything for a few minutes as she leaned against me.

"It's her birthday," Mulan whispered.

She was referring to her sister, which I knew without asking. I knew it still bothered her that no one could really confirm that Ana was dead.

"It still hurts," my best friend continued. "She was my older sister and she just left."

"I know," god, how much I knew. She'd been like a sister to me, too, even if it'd only been for two years.

Mulan pulled away. "So, um, overnight bag?" She asked, trying to get away from the apparently growing awkwardness she seemed to be seeing more and more of.

"Yeah, that should be good," I replied. I looked around the barracks, already knowing it was empty except for us. Frost, Granger, and Drake were all probably at the bar outside of the base.

She silently packed her overnight medic bag in preparation for tomorrow. It was supposed to be a go in, take a quick look around, get out kind of mission. I don't even know why the BSAA was interested in this place; it was a _dump._

I sat down on my bunk, not knowing what I should be doing. It still felt so new being a Captain and everything. Mulan came over and sat next to me, putting her head on my shoulder.

I put my arms around her waist and pulled her down on top of me, causing her to start laughing. Our eyes met and we fell silent.

Every night before a mission, we slept on the same bunk to remind ourselves that we had each other's backs, no matter what. No words had to be exchanged; we just needed to be together.

Something felt different about this time though. I almost told her how I felt about her; that I loved her and wished I could spend the rest of my life with her.

The words just couldn't come out.

* * *

**_Mulan_**

I woke up at 5:10. It was still dark outside so I savored the moments I got to spend in Piers' arms. He always woke up later than me. I snuggled closer to his larger frame, aware that the other men in our squad were now in their own bunks. I knew that our tradition seemed weird to the three of them, but we viewed it as comforting.

At exactly 5:30, Piers' alarm went off, releasing _It's Time_ by Imagine Dragons into the quiet room. Frost, Granger, and Drake all simultaneously groaned while I got up. Piers had gotten so used to the song that he slept right through it; I'd have to suggest changing it when we got back later.

I got up and shut it off and went over to turn on the lights. The three men all released groans again, while Piers continued to sleep. I walked over to him and shook him awake. His eyes opened and he smiled sheepishly.

"C'mon Cap'n, time to wake up," I told him, smiling back.

"Man, I wish I didn't have to," he told me. He sat up, looking at the other three. He got up and moved over to wake them up, while I went and used the bathroom.

I came out and the guys went in. It's not that I get special treatment because I'm female; it's just that they keep their distance (except for Piers, of course.)

I dressed in my uniform, tucking my hair under a baseball cap that Piers had gotten me for my birthday. The guys came out of the bathroom and we went to the mess hall. Since it was still early (only 5:50) we had it all to ourselves.

We were about to leave when Mr. Burton came in and stopped Piers. My friend, being who he is, exchanged formalities with the man. I saw Piers stiffen and he glanced over at me. Hadn't Barry been on a team with a woman who had saved his life? Why was he being prejudice against _me?_ Was it because I was Asian too?

Piers walked away and came over to me. He didn't look happy, but, then again, he rarely did right before a mission. It was only when we were about to get to the area we were supposed to scout did he put on a happy face and pretend everything was okay. Of course, this never worked with me, but he still tried…

"What's going on?" I asked him as the five of us walked out and to one of the helicopters that would take us to our destination. Frost, Granger, and Drake, were all still half asleep and not paying attention to what I was saying to our captain. Not like I would care either way.

"Nothing," he responded. He looked at me with those killer green eyes of his. I still didn't get how he was single…

"Something," I replied, trying (and getting close to failing) to get what Mr. Burton had said to him out in the open.

Piers sighed. It was easy for me to get what I wanted from him (which is not supposed to be taken in a manipulative kind of way. I love him,) and he told me.

"He thinks that you're distracting me and wants to assign Zulu a new medic after this mission." He explained to me. "And I said no because at the end of the day, I'd pick you to back me in a fight against anyone."

I was touched at that. "Just know that I'd pick you, too." I told him. The five of us got into the helicopter, where I put my overnight medic bag in a secure location, and then we flew off the BSAA landing strip.

For some reason, I felt this pit of dread in my stomach.

* * *

**_Piers_**

When we finally got to the plantation, everybody was fully awake and wired on the excitement a new destination always brought us.

My eyes met Mulan's and we shared a smile. She was wearing the baseball cap I'd gotten her, which was one of the best things she could've done for me. For some reason, I was feeling less like myself, but she reminded me of who I was; her best friend. Just like she was mine and I hoped that's how it would always stay.

She grabbed her beg and then all five of us got out of the helicopter. It left to go back to the BSAA headquarters, where it would wait for Alpha team to do a quick recover from their most recent mission and then would come back.

We set off onto the plantation's grounds, where we went about checking the outer buildings. It was one of the really historic places out in the middle of nowhere that had enough stuff for it to qualify as a miniature village.

We went to the stables first, mainly because that was the closest to where we were.

I went in first (I am Captain, after all) and started checking the first few stalls. I wasn't paying attention to the other members (hence the reason I'm only the Captain of Zulu) when there was a heavy thud against the floor.

I looked up and saw Granger, stock still. I rushed over, hoping some B.O.W. hadn't gotten to him. I walked over to in front of him, where I saw he was alright, just relatively shaken up.

"Something's definitely here," Frost said, standing next to a stall. I looked up to see what he was talking about.

Sure enough, there were two piles of bones, one with a little bit of flesh still on them.

"I thought this place was abandoned," Mulan said.

"Either we have bad information or something else is going on," Drake told us.

_Thank you, Drake, because we couldn't figure that out on our own._

But he was right…something was going on there.

* * *

**_Mulan_**

We finished going through the stables and the adjacent carriage house, which thankfully included no more findings of bones. I knew B.O.W.s could be unexplainably horrible, but gnawing the flesh off of somebody's bones?

We were about to go into the blacksmith's building when I heard something. I stopped and looked behind me, certain that there was something there. But this was an open field, so it'd be kind of impossible for me not to see something…

I felt a tug on my pants and looked down to see a red…

_dragon…_

It was like the kind in the Chinese folktales my parents had read to me and my sister.

I blinked and it was gone. _And here I thought that I'd have a good night of sleep! God, what is going on here?_

Frost walked into the building first. "It's all clear in here!" He told us.

Piers in and I walked in together. He had his anti-material rifle slung across his back, his combat knife on his belt, and a handgun in its belt holster.

I suddenly became aware of the sound of metal on metal and the lack of Frost anywhere in the first room.

"Frost!?" Piers called out. I could tell he didn't know what to do…then again, neither did I.

Granger pushed past us, knocking me into the wall. Thankfully, unlike the wall opposite, this one didn't have any sharp objects mounted on to it.

Piers followed Granger, while Drake stopped to help me up.

"You okay there, warrior?" He asked me.

I looked into his blue eyes, finding myself at a lost for once. I wasn't really much of a 'warrior'… I was the Zulu medic, that's all.

But I pushed that aside and just gave him a nod. I hurried into the back room, which I almost wish I hadn't.

There was a man…but, at the same time, he wasn't one. But what I noticed was the pick axe sticking out of Frost's chest. He was lying on a table next to all sorts of weapons, in a puddle of crimson liquid.

Even though I was a medic, it took me a few moments to realize that it was blood.

_Frost's_ blood.

My eyes flicked back to the monstrosity that had killed Frost. The man's skin was mottled and his eyes were lifeless. He was taller than Granger, who Piers was trying to hold back.

Even though Drake and I had been silent (not to mention we'd just gotten there), he was looking at us. He put the blade he'd been sharpening down and stumbled over to us, just like a zombie. But this wasn't the T-Virus that I'd read about in the reports; this was a Plagas and the only reason I knew that was that this man was in one piece.

I couldn't scream and I felt paralyzed. My limbs refused to move and I was just standing there. My fingers couldn't even move to retrieve my gun from its holster.

But that wasn't the case with Drake. He moved his Riot Gun to his shoulder and pulled the trigger. The man's head was then blown off.

Piers looked at the sudden sound, obviously having not noticed us walking in. He looked at the two of us, his eyes wide. He let Granger go and stared at the headless body. Drake moved his shotgun to down in front of him and took a deep breath.

""Are you still okay, Mulan?" he asked me under his breath.

"Yeah, I'm alright. You?" I asked back.

He shrugged. "It's just another beautiful day to be a BSAA agent." He responded, giving me a small smile.

There was nothing left in the blacksmith's and the four of us walked out. When Zulu had first been created, there'd been six of us. Now there was only four.

"Guess we really weren't informed. This place had to have been inhabited, because the earliest Plagas was 2004, _maybe_ 2003, but that wasn't here in the U.S." Drake said to us as we walked out and we started making our way to the servant's quarters.

I swallowed down a lump in my throat. I wished somebody would just come and hug me…I'd dealt with B.O.W.s, nearly got killed by one, in fact (long story, but I'd almost gotten crushed by a ton of snow. Luck had been on my side that day for sure!), but Plagas was a different story. _Especially_ when it'd been moving _towards_ me to _kill_ me.

Drake put his arm around my shoulders. "Are you really alright, warrior?" He asked me, his lips right against my ear.

"No," I managed to choke out. "But I'll live." I told him. _I hope._

* * *

**_Author's Note : _**I originally was going to make this a one shot, but that's not working out so well… Hey, if anyone bothers reading this, please review! (good or bad ;)

~_HolleringHawk65_


	2. Chapter 2

**_Piers_**

Nope, not okay. You don't just get to go and touch my friend and have _your lips_ right next _to her ear_.

I clenched my fists. _Don't say anything, Captain. You're _Piers Nivans_. Cool, calm, level headed, Piers Nivans._

But _that_ _guy_ was _right_ next to Mulan!

Okay, so he wasn't _that guy_, but he was _Drake_ and _Drake_ doesn't get to go and get all touchy feely with her! I don't care that he's part of a minority too (him being very Irish), and he's all about sticking together, because who _the hell_ wants to be alone when you could possibly get attacked by zombies, or Plagas, _or_ B.O.W.s? I know I don't.

But he should step away from Mulan; just one tiny step because right now, they were too close.

"I can't believe he's dead," Granger said out loud.

I didn't know what to say to that. I _almost_ said something that would come across as cold, like 'there'll be time for mourning when we aren't here,' but that wasn't true. The pain of a comrade's death was in the moment; here and now

We were about to go into the servant's quarters when something stopped me. I saw something in the corner of my eye; a little flash of red. I moved to go towards it when somebody stopped me. I looked back and saw it was Drake, finally away from Mulan.

"What?" I asked him.

"Come on, we go in _there_," he told me, tilting his head to door.

"I _know_," I hissed. I was _Captain_; I could go wherever I freaking wanted to.

Inside the servant's quarters, or at least on the first floor, it was clear. We knew better this time around then to separate. I tried to keep close to Mulan, but Drake ended up walking in between us. Nobody would ever get how badly I wanted to smack him upside the end…

…Possibly with my anti-material rifle…

When we went to the second floor, I went first. I didn't ever want to have what had happened in the blacksmith's to happen again…to walk into a room and find one of your teammates lying dead, in a pool of his own blood. It made me feel incompetent, not to mention unable to _do_ anything; to _save_ someone.

I stopped right in front of everyone after I'd open a door, causing Granger to bump into me.

There were _things_ growing on the wall…

They were pods, covered in some sort of membrane. I swear I could see them throbbing, as if with the pulse of whatever was inside of it.

_What the hell is going on here?_

I realized too late that there was a creature lurking in the back of the room. Before I could shut the door, it leapt towards us. Granger started firing off his machine gun, hitting the creature in the face. It let out a screech and stopped, cowering back.

My heart was hammering in my ears. I tried pulling out my handgun, but I was too slow. The creature had recovered and was moving back towards us, just as one of the pods started to open.

**_Mulan_**

As Granger was trying to put more ammo in his machine gun, Drake aimed and fired his Riot gun. The first creature was thrown back against the wall, its head blown off.

He aimed again at the emerging creature. Its long claws were just emerging from the pod as it tried to force its way out. He fired again and the creature was stopped cold.

I watched as Piers pulled out an incendiary grenade, pulled out the stopper, and threw it into the room. He shut the door, not even bothering to tell us we should get moving. I turned around and started running down the hallway, nearly face planting on my way down the stairs.

I ran through the kitchen and out the door, the other three following me. Only seconds later the whole building went up in flames. I swallowed hard before looking at Drake. He was smiling sympathetically at me, and I moved over to him. He slung his riot gun over his shoulder and opened his arms. Before I knew it, I was in them, letting them hold me close. I don't know what inspired this sudden feeling in me, but it was there.

"Mulan, are you okay?" It was Piers asking me. I heard the worried tone in his voice and pulled away from Drake.

"I just want to go home, Piers." His green eyes were so full of concern that I felt horrible inside.

Out of the corner of my eye, I sat that flash of red again. I found myself turning to it, walking after it…running after it…ignoring the yelling of Drake and Piers just to find out what the hell the thing was.

When I stopped running, I was away from the burning servant's quarters. Looking back, I couldn't see the rest of the team, and just barely the flames that were starting to burn out. I turned back around and found myself near a stone gazebo. I kept my hand on my handgun as I walked forward.

"Who's here?" I asked.

"For one girl, you cause as much trouble as an elementary school!" A booming voice told me.

I looked around, trying to figure where the voice was coming from. "Show yourself!" I responded.

"Relax and don't get your panties in a twist!" I blushed heavily for some reason.

I was slightly startled as the owner of the voice showed himself. It took me a moment to process what was standing in front of me.

A small, Chinese dragon. Like what I'd thought I'd seen earlier, but this time I knew it was real. Needless to say, I was stunned speechless.

"Before you go off, I want to explain some things. A) you are very hard to watch. Thank the ancestors that the Leprechauns owed me, or I'm not sure you'd be here today. B) stop doing this, girl! It's bad for both of our lives! C) if you keep gawking at mister Captain like that, he's gonna notice, so just tell him how you feel." The little, scrawny, magical being told me.

I arched my eyebrows. "Excuse me?" Maybe my feelings for Piers were obvious, but nonetheless, this little _creature_ shouldn't just come and suddenly start spouting its/his mouth off. "How do I know you're not a B.O.W.?" I asked him.

"Because I would've already attacked you? You're a smart girl; shouldn't you have thought of that?" He asked me.

"I don't know!" This whole situation was weird. I looked over my shoulder, expecting to see Drake or Piers. I returned my attention to the little dragon. "And what did you mean by 'if the Leprechauns hadn't owed me a favor?'"

"Your friend Drake is half Leprechaun…duh…" The dragon said. He inspected his claws, seeming inpatient.

"_What?_ No way! Drake can't be a half magical being thing!" I said, truly not believing. There was no way…

**_Piers_**

"Mulan!" I called out, beginning to walk around the perimeter for the umpteenth time.

"Face it, she's not here," Granger said. I turned around, my patience finally snapping. I backhanded Granger across the face.

I looked over to Drake. He was sitting on the ground, putting pressure on an area at the top of his thigh. He looked up and smiled weakly.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, starting to get nervous. The last thing I needed was Drake turning into one of those freak creatures and then making me kill him.

"I'm fine," he told me. "It's just that my leg is acting up again. I must've forgotten to take my pills earlier, and Mulan has them…" he told me.

Right. I'd forgotten that Drake had suffered a gunshot to the leg earlier this year. I breathed a sigh of relief; he'd be alright, although suffering through some pain right now.

Suddenly, I felt arms grab me from behind. Reflex told me turn around and disable whoever it was, but muscle memory reminded me who it was. I turned around and saw Mulan standing there. Before I could reason with myself not to, I hugged her.

"Never freaking run off like that again, okay?" I told her as I pulled away.

"Okay, I won't, Piers. I promise. It's just that I was running after Mushu…" She loosely explained.

"Mushu? Who's that?" I asked her, frowning.

"Um, my dragon guardian type thing, as it turns out." She explained.

"Your _what_?" I asked her.

"Her dragon guardian passed down through the generations of her family," I heard Drake explain. "Mulan, before he asks more useless questions, please come over and give me some pills. My leg is killing me." He explained to her.

I watched as the Asian girl went over to him. "You're an idiot you know," she told the redhead. He said nothing as she knelt down, going through her bag. I watched as a little red dragon exaggeratingly pulled itself to her.

_This day can't get any weirder._

I looked around, realizing Granger was gone. I vocally told the other two (three if you count the dragon—who I assumed was Mushu) this.

I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing, except something told me to go to the main house—the only building we hadn't been to. If Granger was doing something stupid, I was going to beat his ass-assuming he wasn't dead yet.

Drake took two pills from Mulan and started getting up. "Come on then, maybe there's still time to save him." He told us.

We quickly walked in solemn silence to the main house. We stopped caring about silence, or teamwork, for that matter. We split up as soon as we got into that big house, going our separate ways and calling out for Granger.

What I remember next still disturbs me. I heard the sound of breaking glass, and then just a loud boom. I knew it wasn't a gun, and I was rushing through the halls, trying to find the source of the sound.

I stopped at the end of a hallway, finding a dreaded sight in front of me.

Drake was on his back, struggling to fight off a reptilian like creature. It was bigger than a human, but covered in scales. I recognized it as a Hunter from reports and pictures.

_This day can't get any worse, can it?_

Of course, I thought this only before I saw Granger's head underneath a table.

I pulled out my hand gun, adrenaline and anger rushing through me. I aimed and pulled the trigger, the Hunter earning a bullet between its eyes.

Drake shoved it away, completely giving out on the floor. "Shit on my life," he said towards the ceiling.

I walked over to him and helped him up. "I know how you feel," I told my comrade. He smiled weakly at my remark.

"Thanks for the save. I wished I'd gotten here sooner though," he told me.

"You can't blame yourself. It was Granger who came in here recklessly and without us. Now let's go find Mulan before something happens to her, too." I explained to him.

"Yes sir!" He responded. We walked through the halls together; both of us being ready to pull out our hand guns at a moment's notice.

We heard gunshots that encouraged our pace. We rounded the corner and saw Mulan standing three feet away from a licker. For good measure, we stayed where we were as Mushu burnt it to ashes.

I walked over to Mulan, hugging her because that was her first kill. She started crying and I felt sick to my stomach; I knew if it hadn't been for me, she wouldn't be here right now.

Just then, the floor gave out beneath us.

**_February 14_****_th_****_, 2006—Piers_**

I leaned against our lunch table, waiting for Mulan to show up. _Today's the day. I'm gonna tell her how I feel about her_. I told myself in my head. I started giving myself a list of reasons as to why this was a good idea.

1) If she how I felt, our relationship might advance to the next level.

2) I wouldn't have to keep hiding how I felt, which meant our relationship would be more open then it is right now.

3) My mother would stop teasing me about how I was too chicken to tell my best friend my biggest secret.

4) Maybe Mulan could finally learn how to trust again; she hadn't really ever opened up again after her sister had left.

I flexed my hands, trying to keep my goal in mind. I watched as she came in, her brisk attitude and her features looked dark and menacing.

I was obviously not going to tell her how I felt today.

She sat down at her usual seat, her fingers instantly wrapping themselves into her hair. "I hate them! I hate this place!" She began venting.

I sat down across from her, quickly taking on my regular persona of a caring best friend. "What's going on?" I asked her.

"It's my parents. You know how they're always fighting and threatening to leave?" I nodded slowly; I'd been present during quite a few of their arguments. "They're actually getting a divorce. My dad's leaving." She told me.

_And right on Valentine's Day, too. Way to crush people's dreams about love,_ I thought bitterly.

"I never want anybody to lecture me about finding true love. If my parents couldn't stay together, it doesn't exist." She explained.

_And there she goes! To be fair, though, they did kind of stick together during Ana's disappearance. You have to give them that much._

"Mulan, you can't actually mean that, do you?" She asked me.

"Yes, I do! Love doesn't exist and this day is so _stupid_! It's fabricated _bullshit_ that I _refuse_ to believe!" She told me, slamming her hand down on the café table.

I sighed and leaned against my chair. While she may not believe it, I always would. I loved Mulan.

**_Present Day—Piers_**

All I could think that something was creeping towards Mulan. It wasn't Drake or Mushu—it was a B.O.W.. I unsteadily aimed my gun, trying to focus on the head. _The head, or it might as well be nothing_.

I pulled the trigger. It's all I could do before I blacked out.

**_Author's Note : _**Okay, only one more chapter. I know nobody's really reading this. I'm writing it just for fun. But, if you are somebody that's reading, please review!

~_HolleringHawk65_


	3. Chapter 3

**_Mulan_**

When consciousness rolled back in, I saw Piers lying face down, his head on his arm. I slowly crawled over to him, pulling him onto my lap. I saw fresh cuts on his cheeks, and he was out cold.

But there was a pulse, so I relaxed a little bit. I looked around, expecting to see Drake, but all I saw was a creature. I swallowed hard as it started to get up. All it was was hideously deformed skin hanging loosely off rotting flesh.

I saw Piers' handgun, just a little bit away. I reached over for it, not knowing if there was enough ammo. I did know that my aim royally sucked though.

I waited. I had to wait or my shot would be for nothing. It was mere feet away when I pulled the trigger. It stumbled back and began approaching me again, even though it'd been a lucky shot right in the eye.

I heard a heavy thump behind me, and suddenly there was a gunshot that caused the creature to be thrown against the wall. I looked beside me and saw Drake holding an antique shot gun.

I smiled weakly. "My saving grace," I whispered. I looked down at Piers, where I noticed fresh blood. Then I realized that wasn't his blood, but my own. My hand went to my ribs, and when I pulled it away, crimson blood covered them.

I was stunned speechless and rather delirious as Drake pulled Piers away from me. "Mulan, I'll be _right_ back, okay? Hang in there while I get Piers to safety."

I gave him a thumbs up, my head aching. I don't know what happened next, but I think that Drake got Piers up out of this hole we were in by magic. Anything's really possible when you have a dragon guardian, and your teammate turns out to be half Leprechaun, I suppose.

The next thing I remember, Drake was back and took me into his arms. "Hang on, okay? Mushu will take care of you in a sec," he cooed to me. He put my arms around his neck and held me close. I felt weightless as I guess we were lifted up.

I felt grass beneath me and I was temporarily blinded as my eyes adjusted to the sun. I felt my wound healing itself and my headache got better. I sat up, apparently in a field now.

Piers was sitting close to me, looking better then back in the hole. I couldn't figure out the look in his eyes for a few minutes, and then I realized it. I gasped before he even spoke.

"I…Mulan, I love you and I'm never gonna let you go on another mission. You're a great medic, and when pressured, you're good with a gun. But you're also my best friend and hopefully soon to be girlfriend. You're unreliable when you get angry. But you're headstrong and loyal. I could go on, but I know I should stop right now." He told me, now right next to me.

I kissed him, our lips crashing together. "I love you too, you idiot."

He smiled sheepishly. "I'm not going to let you forget it, either."

**_Piers_**

After our confession, the three of us & Mushu trudged back to where we were supposed to meet Alpha Team. I hoped that they bombed the place to Hell. Whatever was left deserved to burn.

We didn't have to wait long. The helicopter landed and first out was Chris Redfield. I've met him briefly before, and I guess we get along fine. I know I'm not his favorite person in the world.

"What happened?" He asked me.

Drake was the one to give the report, in as much detail as he could, but he excluded Mushu, who I guess had crept into Mulan's backpack.

"So you're telling me you lost two men because nobody told you there might be B.O.W.s?" Chris asked, his tone not one I would consider 'friendly.'

"_We_ were giving bad information. I don't know what you want us to say. It wasn't our fault, it was the BSAA's," Drake said.

At this point, the two were standing toe to toe.

"Stand down, Riley," Chris growled.

He backed up. I knew Drake had a temper, but I'd heard Chris's was worst.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Chris asked me.

I glanced at Mulan. She had her arms crossed and was staring at the ground. I looked back at Chris, and I think this was the only time I showed a glimmer of disrespect toward a superior.

"You were part of S.T.A.R.S.; all of Bravo team except Rebecca Chambers was killed. Several members of Alpha team failed to make it through the incident. You of people should know that when the truth is withheld, dire consequences follow. So, tell me, what are you gonna do? Are you going to leave us here, or are you gonna take us home?" I asked him.

"Get in; all three of you," Chris told us.

On the way home, Mulan sat right next to me, putting her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her. Drake was (reluctantly) sitting next to Chris.

"So why were we sent there in the first place?" He asked the Alpha team leader.

"It was a hunch, but it doesn't matter anymore," Chris replied. As we left, the three remaining members of Zulu team looked back at the plantation. We watched as it burst into flames. The rest of the ride back to the base, we said nothing. All I could think that Granger, who'd been our bomb expert, had been able to plant an explosive before the Hunter had gotten to him.

* * *

True to my word, I didn't let Mulan go on another mission. The BSAA let her go and we bought an apartment together. As luck would have it, it was also in the same apartment complex as Drake's apartment.

He'd left the BSAA, disgusted at the plantation incident. Even though I stayed, and was sort of demoted to Alpha team's marksman/sharpshooter, we remained friends, even if it was mostly because of Mulan.

We'd gotten a city hall marriage right before I left for Edonia. I had the worst feelings about the mission, but I'd never tell anyone. I just wanted Mulan to be covered in case anything ever happened to me.

**_Mulan_**

After Edonia, Piers was constantly gone. I knew he was loyal to Chris; one of his closest friends and captain.

I never got the chance to tell him I was pregnant. I guess it had happened the night before he'd left for that godforsaken mission. And the few times he had been home, I was showing much.

It was the night of June 30th when I couldn't sleep. I woke up in cold sweats and my stomach felt like it was in knots. I turned on the TV in my bedroom, just for me to wish I hadn't.

I saw the news about the China Epidemic. It was on every single channel, and I was crying because I knew Piers was there. I knew that was the feeling in my stomach—I knew he was gone without anyone actually telling me.

It was five days before anyone actually came and told me. I'd heard a knock on my door and opened it, expecting it to be my mother or father checking up on me, maybe even Drake.

In the doorway was Chris Redfield. He had a solemn look on his face, and all I could do was stand there.

"I'm sorry," he told me.

I closed the door, not wanting to see him. Not wanting to see the reason my husband, my lover, my _best friend was gone._

He opened the door. "Mulan, _please_, let me tell you," he pleaded.

I wanted to shoot him. I wanted to tear out his hair and scream, or have Mushu burn him to a crisp.

I sat down on the couch; the one where Piers and I had spent so many nights watching movies. I'd thought they'd been countless, but now they felt like there hadn't been enough. Chris sat on the chair closest to the couch.

He told me the whole story; beginning to end.

"And…he told me that he did it for the future," Chris finished.

I started sobbing. _It was a future he'll never see. It's the future he died for. But it'll be for our child. It's because of him that our baby will grow up in a safer world._

Chris got up and put something on the dining room table, and then left.

I don't know how many hours I spent on the couch crying, but eventually Drake came in. I looked up, knowing full and well my cheeks were puffy and that I probably looked horrible. All he did was come over to the couch and hold me.

Even later, I finally got up and looked at what Chris had put on the table. It was a letter in Piers' loopy, hurried handwriting. Drake came over and took it from me. I was grateful because I knew I wouldn't be able to read it right now.

"'My love,

I love you so much and you have no idea how much it's scaring me to right this. If I make it out, it won't matter. But I don't think I will. I wished I could've been there for you more, but I guess Destiny kept me away from you. Mulan, I'll see you again someday.

Yours forever,

Piers.'"

I looked up at Drake, crying again.

* * *

It was September 15th when my daughter was born. I had my parents and Drake (let's not forget Mushu) with me, but I still felt so alone without Piers.

As I held her in my arms, I knew what I wanted to name her. It was the best way I could continue to honor Piers. When the doctor asked me her name, I responded with:

"Piper Ana Nivans."

**_Author's Note :_** There's the ending! And I finished my second story! Yes! *happy dance*

Tell me what you think about it in a review (good/bad/happy/sad/angry/depressed/any feeling at all…)

~_HolleringHawk65 _


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